We are investigating how proteins traverse the lipid bilayer of the yeast ER using the biochemical, genetic, and biophysical methods. A class of molecules known as molecular chaperones are absolutely required for this process. Because chaperones are highly conserved amongst all known species, we wish to explore the genome databanks to identity homologs of our proteins of interest. We are investigating how proteins traverse the lipid bilayer of the yeast ER using the biochemical, genetic, and biophysical methods. A class of molecules known as molecular chaperones are absolutely required for this process. Because chaperones are highly conserved amongst all known species, we wish to explore the genome databanks to identity homologs of our proteins of interest.